John O’Donoghue (53) of The Gallops in Sandyford, Dublin, admitted to carrying out the abuse under the pretence of wanting to wrestle with the ten year old boy who later dropped out of school and developed drug habit as a result of the abuse
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John O’Donoghue (53) of The Gallops in Sandyford, Dublin, admitted to carrying out the abuse under the pretence of wanting to wrestle with the ten year old boy who later dropped out of school and developed drug habit as a result of the abuse
Photo by: Google Images

A teacher who sexually abused a boy on twenty occasions later gave him thousands of euro to help him get clean.

John O’Donoghue (53) of The Gallops in Sandyford, Dublin, admitted to carrying out the abuse under the pretense of wanting to wrestle with the ten year old boy who later dropped out of school and developed drug habit as a result of the abuse, the sentencing hearing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard.

By 12 years of age, the victim was sniffing lighter fluid, by 13 he was taking ecstasy which progressed to cocaine when he left home at 15 and then onto heroin. He also attempted suicide by taking pills but was saved by his father at the last minute.

Twenty years after the abuse, the victim approached O’Donoghue and asked for money to go to rehab as his family did not have the means to help him this way. O’Donoghue was selling his house at the time and agreed to help though neither man mentioned the abuse but O’Donoghue promised to do whatever he could to help. The teacher gave him several installments totaling $11,215 (€8,500) over time, $1,300 of which the victim used to pay off his dealer.

He later went to gardai and O’Donoghue admitted everything and pleaded guilty to five sample counts of indecent assault at his previous home in south Dublin between January 1989 and December 1991.

Judge Mary Ellen Ring has remanded him in custody until next week when she will impose sentence, independent.ie reports.